Mex Out

Casual Mexican eatery Mex Out serves customizable Chipotle-style meals such as burritos, tacos as well as rice and salad bowls.

The buzz: Now the Spanish fever has died down, it seems like Singaporean foodies are looking to conquer South America, what with places like Lucha Loco, Pistola and SUR heating up the scene. New contender Mex Out joins in to make affordable, fresh Mexican grub an everyday thing for urban professionals.

The vibe: Not a fancy date destination. It reminds us a bit of US chain Chipotle, but rugged accents like rough-hewn wooden tables and burgundy leather couch, plus an old school chalkboard menu, add a good dose of personality to the space.

The food: Pick from one of five formats—burrito (from $10), taco (3 for $13), rice bowl ($13), salad bowl ($13) or nachos ($13)—and fill it up with an array of meats as cochinta pibil (braised pork shoulder) and carne asada (grilled flank steak), or go green with their vegetable de la cruz (veggie stew). As for add-ons, be spoilt for choice with red rice, pinto beans, black beans, cheese, guacamole and five(!) salsas including a mango version and a fire-roasted jalapeno one. Those savvy about their Mexican cuisine will be pleased that they use corn tortillas for tacos, though flour ones are available too.

The drinks: A pretty skimpy drinks list here of Corona by the bottle ($9) and margaritas by the glass ($10) or jug ($30). Then again, it’s in the CBD, and we wouldn’t want to stagger back to the office drunk from lunch, would we?

Why you’ll be back: If you’ve been aching for casual Mexican food, this is probably the place to go for a quick and easy fix. Plus, it’s unpretentious, efficient and affordable, so you won’t have to make a huge production of your meal.